Typographical distributing machine



Dec 15, 1925- L. E. MORRISON TYPOGRAPIQICAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE FiledFeb. '11, 1925 BY A ORNEYS.

LUTHER E. IHORRISON, Q1 NEW 'YGRK, N.

Y ASSZGIFIGR TQ I'IERGENTI-IALER LING- IYPE CGIH'EFANY, A CQRE'URA'EIONNE -Ff YORK.

TYPQGRAEI-II 'AL DISTREBUTENG EEACI-IIIQ'EJ.

Application filed February 11,

To all who 122 it may concern:

.Be it known. that l, LUTHER l6. Morrison, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county of its State of New Your,have invents new and useful Improvements in Typo graphical Distributinghilachines, of which the following is a specification This inventionrelates to typos;raphical d cer n machines, such as linotype machines ofthe general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent to (l. hiergenthaler, No. 436,532, wherein circulating; matrices are released froma magazine in the or pier in which tributor which first sorts thematrices according to font, and a plurality of main dis tributors whichthereafter sort the matrices of the iDCliVlCdlZtl fonts according tochar,- actor and restore them to their proper channels in the magazines.With this type of distributing mechanism, the matrices, after fontseparation, pass down chutes or tubes and enter so-called lowerdistributor boxes, wherein they are guided upon inclined rails intoengagement with reciprocating pawls or escapements, which feed them oneat a time to the main distributors lin order that these pawls orescapenients may cooperate properly with the matrices, the latter areprovided in their bottom edges wi h central notches, which necessarilyvary in shape and depth according to the thickness of the individualmatrices. Besides adding to the cost of production, such notches in thematrices necessarily limit the s ace ordinarily re quired for theregular: font notches and, moreover, seriously weaken the matrices,especially when the latter are formed with other necessary cuts ornotches. Earthen w York,

Serial 1%. 3,363.

more, matrices comprising fonts used on other machines, such as those ofthe single distributor class, are excluded from use on machines of themultiple distributor class described, since they do not have therequired central notches.

Primarily, the present invention is intended to obviate the foregoingdifficulties ant contemplates certain improvements whereby thedistributing mechanism may receive and handle matrices of all fontswhether they have or have not the objectionable central notches referredto. To this end, each of the lower distributor boxes is provided withshoulders arranged to engage the matrices by their projecting cars andarrest them in the path of a vertically reciprocating finger, whichlifts them successively above the shoulders so that they may escape, oneat a time, into position to be picked up by the distributor screws. Inthe embodiment illustrated, the matrix arresting shoulders are formed onhorizontally reciprocating sections of the box guide rails, which latterare also formed with inclined guiding surfaces leading downwardly fromthe shoulders to the pick-up position of the screws. In the operation ofthe parts, as each matrix is raised by the lifting finger, the railsections are shifted rearwardly or retracted to bring the inclinedsurfaces beneath the upper projecting ears of the lifted matrix, whichthen, as the lifting finger recedes, slides down the inclined surfacesinto direct engagement with the distributor screws. The screws arepreferably recessed or cut away at points adjacent their receiving endsto present suitable banking surfaces to the matrices as they enter thethreats.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely inpreferred form and by way of example and as ap plied to the specifictype of distributing mechanism indicated. However, many changes andvariations may be made therein and in its mode of ap plieation, whichwill still be com prised within its spirit. It is to be under stood,therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form orembodiment, except in so far as such limitations are specihed in theclaims,

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the improveddistributor box;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, similar to a portion of Fig. 1, showing theparts in a different position; and

Fig. 4c is a detail plan view, showing the connections between the railsections and the actuating cam.

The matrices X are released by the pri mary distributor (not shown) anddropped into the tubes or chutes A, arranged in communication with thelower distributor boxes B, through which they are guided and sustainedin upright position by the engagement of their projecting ears X withthe upper and lower inclined rails B B. Each distributor box isassociated with a main distributor, which comprises, as usual, thelongitudinally ribbed or permuted bar C and the set of matrix conveyingscrews C, the latter being arranged to pick up matrices as they emergefrom the box and advance them across the horizontal rail extensions B Binto engagement with the bar C and thence along the same until finallyreleased above their proper magazine channels. The foregoing parts andtheir mode of operation, except as hereinafter pointed out, are or maybe of any approved construction or as embodied in the commercial model 9linotype.

According to the present invention, each of the distributor boxes B isprovided with upper and lower pairs of shoulders B B, arranged to arresta gravitating matrix by its projecting ears before it reaches thepick-up position of the conveying screws. The shoulders B of the lowerpair are fixed, being formed on the lower guide rails B while, forreasons which will presently appear, the shoulders B of the upper pairare formed on horizontally reciprocating sections B of the upper guiderails B. These rail sections B are also formed with short inclinedsurfaces B leading downwardly from the shoulders B and adapted to guidethe escaping matrices into position to be picked up by the leading endsC of the conveying screws. A yoke member B", slidably mounted in the boxcasing (see Figs. 1 and at), supports the rail sections B and isactuated back and forth by a grooved cam C secured to one of theconstantly rotating screws C A stud B protruding from the cross-piece Bof the yoke member and having a pin B arranged to engage in the groove Cof said cam serves as the necessary operating connection. The release ofthe arrested matrices is effected by the employment of the ordinarylifting finger D, pivotally connected to the free end of a yieldinglever D and guided in its vertical movements by a transverse pin Bagainst which it is held under the tension of a light helical spring BThe lever D is pivoted at D and is operated from one of the screws Cthrough an adjustable link D connected to a pin D eccentrically fastenedinto the face of the grooved cam C.

From the foregoing arrangement, it will be seen that after an arrestedmatrix is raised above the shoulders B B by the lifting finger I), therail sections B are moved rearwardly by the cam C to bring the inclinedsurfaces B beneath the upper projecting ears of said matrix (see Fig.3), which then, as the lifting finger recedes, 50 slides down theinclined surfaces and reaches pick-up position in time to be engaged bythe leading ends C of the screw threads. In this connection, it may benoted that the cam groove C is concentrically w formed in two planes tocause the rail sections B to dwell in both their fore and aft positions,thus allowing ample time for a matrix first to be lifted above thearresting shoulders and then to escape down the inclined surfaces B tothe screw pick-up position.

The matrix conveyii g screws C are preferably of the general type shownin the Guest application, Serial No. ($55,166; that is to say, thefollowing side faces of the screw-threads, as distinguished from theleading side faces thereof, and at points adjacent their receiving ends,are cut away or recessed to present vertical circumferential surfaces Cextending about halfway around the first convolution. These surfaces Cafford desirable banking surfaces for the matrices, and, as a matter offact, constitute steps which, under normal. conditions, are presented tothe projecting ears of the matrices as they escape, one after another,from the box. The matrices are thus squarely arrested in the pick-upzone, but inasmuch as the might have a tendency to recoil or reboundbecause of their impact with said bank 15; surfaces and stop thedistributor, the axe lower gi'iide rails B and the retractible railsections B are respectively provided with shoulders or abutments B andB, which serve to restrain the matrices a;,; ainst abnormal rez-irwarddis-placeinent when tl reach the pick-up position. it will be no thatwhen the rail sections B are d rawn beneath the projecting ears of alifted matrix. the shoulders B are disposed in tl e same vertical planeas the shoulders B. room and time are thus afforded an i .5 matrix toreach the pick-up posit being carried away by the screws.

It is also proposed, in the p cs struction, to provide the be): naryseparator blade E, which serves vent more than one matrix being liftethe blade E.

lVhile, in the present embodiment, the inclined surfaces which directthe matrices to the screw piclrup position are formed on sectionsforming part of the box guide rails, this is not aosonitely essential,as the surfaces could be formed on other parts independent of the boxrails. Nor is it essential that the matrix arres ing shoulders be firmedon the same part, that have the inclined surfaces. The arrangement'llustritcd, however, is very simple and is prefr 1 Having thusdescribed. my invention, its construction and modof operation, what Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is asfollows:

1. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of guide meansalong which the matrices pass by gravity, means for arresting the gra*itating matrices at a point in advance of the conveying screws, meansfor releasing the arrested matrices, one at a time, to permit theirescape into position to be picked up by the screws, and inclinedsurfaces movable into engaging relation to the released matrices fordirecting them to the pick-up position.

2. In a typograhical distributing mechanism compi' -ng a distributor barand set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of guide means alongwhich the matrices pa. by gravity, shoulders for arresting thegrant-sting matrices at a point in advance of the conveying screws, areciprocating linger for lifting the matrices successively above theshoulders, and inclined surfaces momble beneath the projecting ea '5; ofthe lifted matrices for directing them. into posilion to be picked up bythe screws.

3. In a l' ypo raphical distributing mechanism comprising a distrilnitorbar and a set of matrix convey ng screws, the combination of guide meansalong which the matrices pass by gravity, shoulders for arresting thegmvitating matrices at a point in advance of the conveying sc means forlifting the matrices successively above the shoulders, and means forretracting said shoulders to permit the escape of the lifted matricesinto position to be picked up by the conveying screws.

4;. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of guide.means along which the matrices pass by gravity, areciprocating matrixlifting finger, means for arresting the gravitating matrices in the pathof the finger, inclined surfaces for guiding the matrices into positionto be picked up by the conveying screws, and means for moving saidsurfaces beneath the projecting ears ofthe lifted matrices so as todirect them to the pick-up position.

5. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of adistributor box, guide rails arranged therein and having movablesections formed with shoulders against which the matrices are arrested,a reciprocating linger forhfting the arrested matrices sue-- cessivelyabove said shoulders, and means for retracting the rail sections topermit the escape of the lifted matrices into position to be picked upby the conveying screws.

6. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of adistributor box, guide rails ar ranged therein and having movable sec--tions formed with shoulders against which the matrices are arrested andformed further with inclined surfaces leading downwardly from saidshoulders, a reciprocating finger for lifting the arrested matricessuccessively above the shoulders, and means for retracting the railsections to bring the inclined surfaces beneath the projecting ears ofthe lifted matrices, for the purpose described.

7 In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributor barand a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of a distributorbox, upper and lower guide rails arranged therein, matrix arrestingshoulders formed on the lower rails, movable sections forming part ofthe upper rails and having arresting shoulders corresponding to those ofthe lower rails, a reciprocating finger for lifting the arrestedmatrices successively above said shoulders, and means for retracting themovable rail sections to permit the escape of the lifted matrices intoposition to be picked up by the conveying screws.

8. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of adistributor box, upper and lower guide rails arranged therein, the upperrails having horizontally reciprocating sec-l tions formed with matrixarresting shoulders and with inclined surfaces leading downwardly fromsaid shoulders, a reciproosting finger for lifting the arrested matrices successively above the shoulders, and means for operating thelifting finger and the movable rail sections in proper synchronism, soas to effect the release of the arrested matrices and permit theirescape, one at a time, down said inclined surfaces into position to bepicked up by the conveying screws.

9. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of guide meansalong which matrices pass by gravity, means for arresting the matricesat a point in advance of the conveying screws, means for releasing thearrested matrices, one at a time, and movable inclined surfaces downwhich the re- -leased matrices escape into position to be picked up bythe screws, the said screws at their receiving ends being recessed orcut away so as to present vertical circumferential banking surfaces tothe escaping matrices.

10. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributorbar and. a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of adistributor box, guide rails ar ranged therein and having movablesections formed with matrix arresting shoulders and with inclinedsurfaces leading downwardly from said shoulders, a matrix liftingfinger, and means for operating the lifting finger and the movable railsections in feeding the matrices to the conveying screws, the saidscrews being formed with vertical circumferential matrix bankingsurfaces, and the rail sections presenting shoulders to restrain thematrices against rearward displacement when they are arrested by thescrew banking surfaces.

11. In a typographical distributing mech anism comprising a distributorbar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of adistributor box, shoulders for arresting the matrices within the box, areciprocating finger for lifting the arrested matrices successivelyabove the shoulders, a separator blade to prevent more than one matrixbeing lifted at a time, and means for displacing the arresting shouldersto permit the escape of the lifted matrices into position to be pickedup by the con veying screws.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature hereto.

LUTHER E. MORRISON.

